Noma
by mistlove
Summary: Amon's the first one to successfully pull Liu out of his liquor haze. But then Liu finds himself entangled in a very different haze for Amon himself. Lieumon.


NO PERVERTED COMMENTS AND OR REQUESTS IN REVIEWS. RUDE REVIEWS WILL RESULT IN THE STORY BEING TAKEN DOWN. REFRAIN FROM SWEARING. THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING THE AUTHOR.  
**Title:**Noma  
**Summary:** Amon's the first one to successfully pull Liu out of his liquor haze. But then Liu finds himself entangled in a very different haze for Amon himself. Lieumon.

**Author:** mistlove  
**Copyrights:** Plot is mine. Everything else belongs to Bryke.

**A/N:** This is the Day 5 prompt "haze" for the 30 Days of Writing Challenge I'm doing on tumblr. (morningskylight . tumblr . com) Sorry I'm late in uploading! This has been on tumblr for awhile now.

...

Liu is not proud to admit that for the longest time, he was in a haze.

He was sober only now and then and when he was, he was in a haze of angry emotions.

His life had been spiraling out of control. The young woman, Noma, that he was engaged to had to break it off because a bender wanted her and threatened her family.

Liu's only life was here in Republic City and he had to let her go so her family could move away to safety.

The bender tried to follow her, but Liu held him up and let himself get beaten so he could press charges on the man. The first few days after the bender's arrest, Liu slept well, even though he was scarred and bruised from the beating.

After that, things started to sink in. He just lost the love of his life and he had been fired from his job because he couldn't work due to his injuries. He considered going to Ba Sing Se to find Noma and start a new life there with her, free from this bender's attentions.

But he didn't have enough money.

Liu struggled for a long time, taking odd jobs once he healed enough to work. But whatever money he made, he spent on liquor.

He hated his life and he hated the bender responsible for destroying what little happiness he had. Something grew there in his chest, quenched by liquor and anger and grief. His hatred of benders grew.

Liu was at the bar when he first met him.

He had been there, in the process of getting drunk when the masked man walked in. Liu paid him no mind; he was probably a freak. Liu could care less, so he had.

But then the man started to rustle around, asking the bartender and the (more sober) patrons why they came to drown their sorrows here. The nearly unanimous reason was because of benders. The answer was one the masked man seemed to have expected. This bar was, after all, in the poor area of Republic City, a place not many benders would want to associate with.

The masked man spoke with solemnity and understanding. "I, too, know how you feel-"

"How could you begin to understand what I've lost?" Liu demanded in a tipsy outburst.

The masked man jolted slightly, surprised. His body slowly relaxed after a moment and he took cautious steps over to sit at Liu's side. "I apologize. I have not heard your story."

So Liu gave him the whole goddamn novel of his life and how it went wrong. By the time he finished, they were the only two left in the bar besides the bartender.

The masked man was quiet for a long time. "She must have been beautiful."

"She was," Liu agreed. He traced his finger across the top of his empty glass, forcing himself to concentrate through the intoxication. "Noma was the most beautiful woman in the world."

"I'm sure she was."

The man's tone was sincere, completely devoid of the mockery Liu expected and he was touched.

"What do I call you?" he slurred out.

The man was quiet and thoughtful for a long time before finally saying, "Amon."

...

There's a sharp knock on the door that interrupts him and Amon. The two of them are in Amon's office, discussing plans for tonight's first big underground Equalist rally. Tensions are high now that the Avatar has just arrived in Republic City and they know they need to make sure nothing goes wrong. Liu is briefly irritated at whoever is knocking. Hadn't they mentioned earlier that they were not to be interrupted? Serious publicity on the Equalist movement would start tonight. What could possibly be so important?

Amon calls the Equalist in.

"What is it?" he asks, deep voice calm and patient.

"Amon, sir!" the Equalist bows formally. "There is a phone call for the Lieutenant."

Liu frowns. That's unusual. He glances back at the Equalist. "Is this a private matter or a business one?"

"Private, sir."

"Leave it-"

"Thank you," Amon cuts in. "You are dismissed."

Amon waits until the door is clicked shut before talking again. "I know you are worried for tonight's rally, Lieutenant." He nods toward the door. "I would suggest taking that call, however. It may turn out to be important."

Liu nods after a long moment. "I'll finish up quickly and return back within half an hour."

"Take your time," Amon says and Liu thinks he hears something soft and almost mournful in his tone.

...

The phone call is from Ba Sing Se, where Noma and her family still reside. He presses the receiver to his ear and hears Noma's mother sob and tell him Noma was killed just yesterday by a lunatic firebender. She apologizes through a thick, choked voice for bothering him with this, but she thought he might want to know and would he consider attending the funeral.

Liu can't find a way to respond coherently so he slams the receiver down and sits down and cries.

Amon finds him not soon after and whispers apologies.

Liu pushes him away. Amon suddenly seems exasperated and tired. He closes a hand over Liu's eyes and he hears Amon's mask clatter to the side before he feels warm lips press against his. Amon pulls away abruptly, holding his mask back up.

"I apologize," Amon says softly, almost shyly before turning away to tie his mask back in place.

But in that kiss, Liu had lost himself in another sudden haze of emotions. Grief and desperation and need.

He reaches for Amon and Amon doesn't push him away.

...

NO PERVERTED COMMENTS AND OR REQUESTS IN REVIEWS. RUDE REVIEWS WILL RESULT IN THE STORY BEING TAKEN DOWN. REFRAIN FROM SWEARING. THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING THE AUTHOR.


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